How I long for yesterday - sometimes!

I know many people say it's wrong to keep looking back. Well I enjoy looking back, so I've decided to write about it today. In the words of the song, yes, I do long for yesterday.

Something happened this week that made me remember how different things are nowadays, compared to a few years ago.

A family member rang for a doctor's appointment. Simple? It should be, but yesterday it took him three hours to be able to speak to a human being. Details of name and address were exchanged, and eventually an appointment and time were given for next week. Not bad considering in the past the wait has been anything up to two to three weeks. Then came the disappointing news. Certainly, he has an appointment, but it just means that the doctor will be phoning him to ask about his condition. The doctor will then assess whether he needs to see him at the surgery. If he calls him in, my family member will then have to return to the appointment line and probably spend another three hours or more try to obtain an appointment.

Surely this method is wrong, I always thought a doctor had to  see the patient with their own eyes to assess their condition? I'm not a medical person, but I thought doctors went on skin tone, nails, hair, the whole of your physical condition surely tells them at a glance how you are? Then they can judge whether you actually need a physical examination. Years ago if we were ill, we walked in the doctors waiting room, gave our name and address to the receptionist, sat down and waited. Then the system changed to ringing in for an appointment. Which worked in a way, but somehow the wait in the waiting room could extend to a morning out -with no drinks offered!- and even sometimes into the afternoon. 

Now,it's all changed again. This is a backward step in my opinion and will I feel lead to illness and wrong diagnoses being made. 

To my way of thinking if you're ill, you need to see a doctor and the doctor  needs to see you.
But, in now way am I blaming the GPs for this. They do a wonderful job, and I realise that they are terribly overworked, and can only see so many patients in the hours they have.

There is so much I miss that it would fill this page. Here's just a few.

I miss the quietness of bus and train journeys. I miss seeing children playing happily in the streets.

I miss the quietness of the department stores. Before we were blasted out by loud music. I avoid these shops now. 

I miss Woolworth, Sunday opening has destroyed our only family day. Our corner shops have disappeared. Our post offices are being swallowed up by the larger stores. People don't meet up and chat anymore when out shopping. What happened to respect? Why are so many people rude and pushy? You never used to get pushed out of the way in a queue. I miss being able to walk along the street safely, not worrying that I might be mugged or stabbed.  My list is endless.

I'm certainly  not saying that there aren't many incredible things that have happened and will happen in the future. I embrace change if it improves lives.